About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2025)
» Your hometown newspaper since 1861 The Eatonton Messenger THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025 | A3 Georgia Power building BESS for the future Georgia Power announced May 7 that construction is underway on 765 mega watts of new battery energy storage systems (BESS), strategically located across the state in Bibb, Lowndes, Floyd, and Cherokee counties. The BESS projects were authorized by the Georgia Public Service Commission to provide quickly dispatchable capacity for customers. The new projects follow the compa ny’s first-ever BESS facility at Mossy Branch near Columbus, which entered service last year. Georgia Power said BESS projects support the overall reliability and resil ience of the electric system, while also enhancing the value of intermittent 2 Georgia Power renewable generation resources such as solar. Storage systems can improve the efficiency of renewable energy by storing excess energy produced during periods when the demand for electricity is lower, for use when the demand is higher, such as on cold winter morn ings. Because battery storage can provide stored energy to the grid for hours on demand, BESS resources enhance the overall reliability of the electric system. — Contributed State passes pet sales law Last Friday, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law Georgia House Bill 331, making it illegal statewide to sell dogs, cats, or rabbits at any public or commercial spaces, including road sides, parking lots, sidewalks, parks, recreational areas, and more. “Puppy mills frequently sell on roadsides and parking lots to prevent the public from seeing the oftentimes cruel and dire conditions these pets are bred in,” said Laura Donahue, senior director of advocacy for the Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society. “I’m extremely grateful to Governor Kemp for taking a stand for Georgia’s pets.” To date, 11 Georgia jurisdictions had already enacted ordinances that fully prohibit pet sales at flea markets, regardless of whether they are licensed or not. House Bill 331 is meant to safe guard both pets and people looking to acquire pets. The new law is intended to reduce the exploitation of pets, particularly those bred and sold through unethical practices. “I backed the roadside sales element because every Georgians’ pet deserves a safe and loving home. By endingroadside and parking lot sales, we’re protecting our neighbors, our families, and our community’s most vulnerable animals,” House Dist. 135 Representative Beth Camp said. “I encourage [everyone] to support ethical pet adoption and responsible ownership practices that make our communities safer and kinder.” — Contributed PHONES CONTINUED FROM » A1 well-meaning attempt to remove a major distraction during the school day. “Cellphones in the hands of youngsters are definitely a distraction,” he said. Fulton County School System, one of the largest school districts in Georgia, is already preparing. “These new restrictions were already planned for the upcoming school year, and the new law affirms the direction we were taking to reduce distrac tions and strengthen student learning,” a district spokesman said. School board members will vote on the new policy in June. It not only would ban use during the school day through eighth grade, but also would prohibit use in high schools during instructional time. While the idea of a state wide ban is popular, some have expressed concern about being unable to reach their children during an emergency, such as a school shooting. That’s why the bill’s chief co-sponsor, Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, didn’t push for a ban in high schools. But he and others expect the K-8 ban to spread to high schools in the future, after middle school students and their parents become accustomed to it. Hilton said in an interview Monday that high school is more complicated, and it will take time to study implementation there and to develop a cell- phone-free culture. “I think this bill begins an important conversation that’s going to lead to a cellphone-free environment in grades 9 through 12,” he said. That culture is deeply embedded. Hilton said that when Kemp signed HB 340 on Friday, lawmakers instinctively pulled out their smartphones to capture the moment. And Hilton said that when he was presenting his bill on the floor of the House of Representatives, his colleagues couldn’t resist the moment. COUNCIL CONTINUED FROM » A1 and its members for their efforts. “Thank you to all of you who do so much to help preserve the history of Eatonton,” Reid said. “It is home for you all, but it’s also a tourism help for the city, so we really appreciate your efforts.” Among the motions approved later in the council meeting, by a unanimous vote council members approved of Reid signing a memo randum of understanding for the city to continue its participation in the accredited Georgia Main Street program under the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). According to the DCA website dca.georgia.gov), “the Georgia Main Street program began in 1980 as one of the original pilot state coor dinating programs of the National Main Street Initiative launched by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.” In addition to historic preser vations, DCA and Main Street programs contribute to small business development, expansion of the state’s employment base, leveraging private investment, increasing tourism, and providing a positive road map for public-private partnerships. The council also unanimously approved continuing the practice of not outwardly marking official city vehicles for the mayor and City Administrator Gary Sanders, though Reid currently does not drive a city-issued vehicle. This discussion and resolution satisfied a require ment for an annual public hearing regarding the issue of marking/not marking city issued vehicles to the mayor and city administrator. Next, the council unanimously approved nominations for new Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) representatives for District 6, which includes Eatonton. Current Eatonton City Councilmember Janie Reid is the outgoing 2024-25 District 6 president. Approved were Toomsboro Mayor Joyce Denson as the incoming 2025-26 district president; Edward Armijo, a council member from Centerville as first vice president; Denese Shinholster, a council member for Milledgeville as second vice president; and Mayor Michael Chidester of Byron as third vice president. Councilwoman Reed assumed the role of immediate past president for District 6 and will serve in that capacity for the coming year. The council also heard a first reading of proposed cemetery zoning and excess dirt removal ordinances but will take no action at least until its second scheduled reading on May 19. SPEED CONTINUED FROM » A1 report states. Madison was allowed to continue on his way while Barbee searched for the black SUV and inves- Q92.3FM Hone of Today's 1. REAL COUNTRY report reveals. “Quartez called his brother after the first incident and was still talking on the phone when the other incidents occurred.” Barbee spoke to the person on the phone, who confirmed the story. Barbee then told Madison he should’ve called 911 instead of speeding up and calling a family member. “Quartez did not know who the driver of the SUV was, and apologized. He then said that he was scared because he did not know what the other driv er’s intent was,” Barbee’s tigated the case. FLOCK cameras did not reveal the SUV’s whereabouts and Barbee was unable to locate it during his search. Future attempts by the deputy to contact Madison were unsuccessful, as were visits to his family members’ homes. Family members’ accounts of the incidents were different from Madison’s, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said. Traffic citations were written and warrants obtained for Madison’s arrest. “The only reason the other driver wasn’t arrested is because we don’t know who he is,” Sills said. On May 12, Milledgeville Police Department noti fied Barbee that they had arrested Madison and he was turned over to Barbee without incident. Imaging Services PUTNAM GENERAL HOSPITAL @ NavicentHealth Parmer NOTICE TO THE CITIZENS OF PUTNAM COUNTY: VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR THE JUNE 17, 2025, SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICTS 2 & 3 Any individual who wishes to register to vote or to change his or her address for the June 17, 2025, Special Primary Election for Public Service Commissioner for Districts2 & 3 must submit a voter registration application to the Board of Elections and Registration office (located at 117 Putnam Dr., Suite D, Eatonton, GA 31024) by 5:00 PM on Monday, May 19, 2025.(Applications that are submitted by mail must be postmarked by May 19, 2025.) To register to vote in the State of Georgia, you must be: • A citizen of the United States; • A legal resident of Georgia and of Putnam County; • At least 17 1/2 years of age to register and 18 years of age to vote. Also, you may not register to vote if you are currently: • Serving any sentence (including probation) imposed by the conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude; • Judicially determined to be mentally incompetent. For additional information, including instructions about registering to vote entirely online,please visit https://ber.putnam-ga.gov/. Voter registration applications may be obtained by visiting the BER office, by calling (706) 485-8683, or by visiting the web address listed above. Putnam County Board of Elections & Registration 05/08,05/15 utnam General Hospital offers a full range of medical imaging services, including X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, nuclear medicine test and bone density screenings. Our on-staff radiologist provides fast, accurate interpretations and performs image-guided biopsies right here in our community. No need to travel far for expert care—you’ll find it at PGH. SERVICES INCLUDE: ULTRASOUND XRAY CTA BODY FAT ANALYSIS ECHO CARDIOGRAMS BONE DENSITIES MRA CT FLUOROSCOPY PROCEDURES BARIUM SWALLOW UPPER CI’S BARIUM ENEMAS CYSTOCRAMS ARTHROGRAMS BARIUM SWALLOW WITH SPEECH THERAPY MAMMOGRAMS SCREENING & DIAGNOSTIC IMAGE-GUIDED BIOPSIES PERFORMED IN-HOUSE NUCLEAR MEDICINE NM STREES TEST GASTRIC EMPTYING WHOLE BODY SCAN BONE SCAN HIDA SCAN & MORE PATIENT ORDERS FAX : 706-749-7286 PHONE: 706-923-2055 101 LAKE OCONEE PARKWAY EATONTON, GA 31024 WWW.PUTNAMGENERAL.COM
